New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

[Joeshow]

Hello people!

Just picked this up Sunday! She is in pretty good shape. Came with a rare 1982 Calkings trailer . Previous owner bought it in 2004, the transom and floor has been replaced prior to him buying it. She has an aftermarket top. Hole shot is great with a Al cupped 19P prop and maxes out at 70kms (43mph?)

The down side is, she's real hard to start! It takes about ten minutes of cranking over then 5 minutes of warming up before you can go ( I might be exaggerating a little) and the trim motor is replaced with some convertible car top motor. The trim slowly drops the merc ( doesn't hold the engine up ) would this be from poor cylinder seals in the trim rams?

Thank you n happy boating!!
Joe.

 

[barato2]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

since she runs great at WOT, your issues are not likely anything spark related. i'd say 90% chance your issues have to do with crudded up idle circuits in the carbs. this is prolly the single most common cause for this situ, partially due to fact that idle jets (precisely sized fuel metering orifices) on a motor like that are very small in diameter and it doesn't take much crud built up to reduce flow to where you get a lean condition that causes hard starting and need for long warmup. this doesn't affect your WOT performance because that's on a different (far larger) set of jets.

if it really is a convert top motor, i wouldn't waste a farthing on it....it's not designed for marine use and will corrode fast. just find the correct unit for your merc on fleebay or somewhere

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Got pics? I love the American series. They're pretty sweet speedboats. My ideal combo would be a Stinger 19 foot to go fast in and a 14 foot mariner to fish from.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Welcome,

We're a quasi illiterate bunch, pix pix pix...

Maybe more accurate to call us boat junkies

Hope a good carb cleaning will have that Merc running great for you & gets you back in the water soon w/ no motor worries!

The exploded parts diagram & parts list found here may help you until you can find 1 online, or order a service manual.

 

[emoney]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

This thread is useless without pics (been waiting to say that for years!)

 

[Joeshow]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Thanks people!!

I can't post pics from my iPhone and the computers Internet stick only has 100mb plan :/

I've realized my tach doesnt work like at all... It thinks 3000 is 0. And yet, it maxes out at 5500. I've played with the only adjustment thingy on the back with very little changes.

I think I'll just break down n post pictures later today!

Thank yous!!

*edit* oh and the last owner gave me the original trim pump/resivor and solinoids. He said the marina wanted $1500 to fix it! That's why the convertible motor is in there. So yesterday I went at getting all the wires right and tested it, She works but is a little noisy. Louder in one way then the other, but that's with very little oil in the tank and no hoses hooked up. The elec motor turns smoothly. The plastic/rubber piece on the end of the motor shaft it like new and the impeller seems to turn nicely. BUT the convertible motor says to use ATF and the original trim says 10W30.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Check the tach leads, if it's an 1980 tach, it may have already served it's useful life.......

Iboats & google are your friends:

1. [h=3]Tachometer problem 1980 Merc 115 [/h]

   www.marineengine.com/.../showthread.php?...Tachometer...1980...1... 8 posts - 2 authors - Jun 16, 2007 "Just installed a new tach with a 1980 Merc 115. Tach is set to 6 (12-pole). When I turned the ignition on the tach needle pegged at max. Turned ... 1980 115hp Charging Issue ‎ - 6 posts - Jul 23, 2012 Mercury 1992 115 hp Inline 6 WOT Problem ‎ - 20 posts - Mar 21, 2011 Acceleration problem 1980 Merc 115 ‎ - 6 posts - Jul 20, 2007 Tachometer for a 1977 Merc 50 hp ‎ - 4 posts - Jun 3, 2001 More results from marineengine.com ?

   
   

2. [h=3]Tach problem - 1980 Merc 115 [/h]

   forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=202237 13 posts - 5 authors - Jun 16, 2007 Just installed a new tach with a 1980 Merc 115. Tach is ... Maybe check the wiring from the motor to the control box before checking the stator. 1980 mercury 115hp hard start and trim?? ‎ - 2 posts - Jul 27, 2012 1980 Johnson 35 - tach ‎ - 3 posts - Jun 8, 2012 1984 mercury tower of power tach ‎ - 6 posts - Mar 6, 2011 1980 Mercury 40 hp outboard tach problem ‎ - 5 posts - Jul 4, 2009 More results from forums.iboats.com ?

   
   

3. [h=3]Mercury Outboard Tach - Mercury Outboard Forums [/h]
   	forums.iboats.com/Mercury-Outboards/Tach 8, Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea? ... 5, Mercury Force 1996 115 Tachometer not working ? Mercury & Mariner Outboards ... 4, 2008 Mercury tachometer wiring ? Mercury & Mariner Outboards ... 1968 ? 1969 ? 1970 ? 1971 ? 1972 ? 1973 ? 1974 ? 1975 ? 1976 ? 1977 ? 1978 ? 1979 ? 1980 ? 1981 ? 1982 ? 1983 ...

 

[Joeshow]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Thank you! I have been searching

 

[Joeshow]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

well i finally got around to posting pictures lol these pictures are from when i got her home..

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

So how's it run? Have you thought about buffing out the gelcoat?

 

[Joeshow]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!



Bwana Don, she runs great! It's a lot easier to start, the throttle line had a bunch of slack in it. I haven't buffed her up yet. before she went in the water, I took rubbing compound and a power buffer to the bottom section of the hull. That was a lot of work and I was too anxious, wanted to play in the water. It took me 4 or 6 hours to get the red looking like that, she was oxidized pretty bad. the white is still bad.

She's been out of the water, winterized for 2 months now. I took it out early mostly cause I wanted to do some work on it. I raised the engine 1/2" because the cavitation plate was just a touch under the boat and would cause a mist behind me at speed. (I haven't taken her out for a test drive, probably wait till spring) replaced the impeller, I had to be going 8kmh for her to spit water = very frustrating! Installed a temporary stereo.

Planning on making it a bow rider (different thread)... and a newer cockpit dash area. She needs cup holders.

The engine needs a rectifier. Two of the stator wires are brittle, so that needs to be replaced soon :/ I'm a little iffy on the transom, I would like to redo it but am limited on cash and have no heated work space lol
I have a guy coming back to the country in may with a nice lazer 2 vented 21p prop for cheap!

There's always something eh! Lol

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

NOOOOOOO!!!! Don't hack up the boat! If you want a bowrider, sell it and buy a bowrider! The Americans are great boats, and actually, being the 16-footer, that doesn't leave much room for a proper bow seat forward of the windshield. The actual 16 American bowrider has the windshield moved aftwards a bit to make room for the bow seat.

Yes, I am partial to the American series, can you tell??

 

[halfmoa]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

OMG I'm itching between my fingers already!

 

[Joeshow]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Lol ok, if you say so Chinewalker!! I've read both your American restorations!! Just started restoring my American!! Thread is titled "Exterior below floor sweat?!"

Everyone, just calm down! Lol

 

[jasoutside]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Hey! I owned a American (for a day). I know what you could do with that, boat!

 

[64osby]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Hey! I owned a American (for a day). I know what you could do with that, boat!

Not everyone shares your "love" of FG boats. :boom:

 

[Joeshow]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Lol think I'm missing something here lol
what could I do with this boat jasoutside?!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Yah, 64 is right. My "love" for glassers is unique!

Here's my work on a little blue American...

The end of a little Starcraft glasser! - YouTube

If chinewalker catches that he'll freak!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

Lol think I'm missing something here lol
what could I do with this boat jasoutside?!

Yeah, you DO NOT want Jas to show up at your boatyard & help w/ a fiberglass boat.

It involves a chainsaw & a sawzall.... Not really the sort of help you might have been expecting...

Jas uses the glass boats as donor boats for parts & pieces to rebuild his tin boats....

 

[Joeshow]

Re: New sexy toy! 1975 16' American w/'80 115hp merc!!

LOL Wwell it makes Chinewalkers and mine more unique! Lol